Food and Nutrition

Welcome to Food and Nutrition, which is part of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)'s Nutrition, Health and Youth Development Division.

We administer U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition programs that provide healthy food to children and adults. These programs include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, Special Milk Program and USDA Foods Program. USDA Team Nutrition grants provide additional funding for MDE to offer training and technical support for these groups.

If you are a nutrition program sponsor, please subscribe to the Nutrition Program Bulletin to receive email updates with the latest nutrition program information, including policy and regulatory updates, trainings, and nutrition program resources. 

Nondiscrimination statement: In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact the USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, you have two options: 1. Complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at Filing a Program Discrimination Complaint as a USDA Customer, and at any USDA office; or, 2. Write a letter addressed to USDA; provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 866-632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by one of the following methods:
(1)   Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2)   Fax: 202-690-7442; or
(3)   Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Program Bulletins
April 15, 2019
CACFP Special Bulletin: New Meal Service Training Grant Opportunities (sent 4/5/2019)
April 1, 2019
March 18, 2019
USDA Foods Update (sent 3/11/2019)
March 4, 2019
Spring Surveys Now Open (sent 2/21/2019)


Summer Food Service Program Bulletins
Summer Food Service Program Updates - April 2019 (sent 4/4/2019)
Summer Food Service Program Updates - March 2019 (sent 3/20/2019)
Summer Food Service Program Updates - February 2019 (sent 2/22/2019)